Studies show that people who regularly eat fatty fish, like salmon, have a lower risk of diseases like heart disease, dementia and depression (7, 8, 9, 10).

Omega-3 content: 4023 mg in half a fillet, or 2260 mg in 100 grams (3.5 oz).

3. Cod Liver Oil (2664 mg per serving)

Cod liver oil is more of a supplement than a food.

As the name implies, it is oil that is extracted from the livers of cod fish.

Not only is this oil high in omega-3 fatty acids, it is also loaded with vitamin D (338% of the RDI) and vitamin A (270% of the RDI) (11).

Taking just a single tablespoon of cod liver oil therefore more than satisfies your need for three incredibly important nutrients.

However, definitely don’t take more than a tablespoon, because too much vitamin A can be harmful.

Omega-3 content: 2664 mg in a single tablespoon.

4. Herring (3181 mg per serving)

Herring is a medium-sized oily fish. It is often cold-smoked or precooked, and then sold as a canned snack.

Smoked herring is a popular breakfast food in countries like England, where it is served witheggs and called kippers.

A standard smoked fillet contains almost 100% of the RDI for vitamin D and selenium, and 50% of the RDI for B12 (12).

Omega-3 content: 3181 mg per fillet, or 1729 mg per 100 grams (3.5 oz).

5. Oysters (565 mg per serving)

Shellfish are among the most nutritious foods you can eat.

In fact, oysters contain more zinc than any other food on the planet. A 100-gram portion of raw oysters (6–7 oysters) contains 600% of the RDI for zinc, 200% for copper and 300% for vitamin B12 (13, 14).

Oysters are usually eaten as an appetizer, snack or whole meal. Raw oysters are a delicacy in many countries.

Omega-3 content: 565 mg in 6 oysters, or 672 mg per 100 grams (3.5 oz).

6. Sardines (2205 mg per serving)

Sardines are very small, oily fish. They are commonly eaten out of a tin or jar as a starter, snack or delicacy.

Sardines are highly nutritious, especially when eaten whole. They contain almost every single nutrient that the human body needs.

One cup of drained sardines provides over 200% of the RDI for vitamin B12, and over 100% for vitamin D and selenium (15).

Omega-3 content: 2205 mg per cup, or 1480 mg per 100 grams (3.5 oz).

7. Anchovies (951 mg per serving)

Anchovies are tiny, oily fish that are often found dried or in a jar with oil.

They are usually eaten in very small portions, such as rolled around capers, stuffed inolives or as pizza and salad toppings.

Because of their strong flavor, they are also used to add flavor to many dishes and sauces, including Worcestershire sauce, remoulade and Caesar dressing.

Anchovies are a great source of niacin and selenium, and boned anchovies are also rich in calcium (16).

Omega-3 content: 951 mg per one can (2 oz), or 2113 mg per 100 grams (3.5 oz).

8. Caviar (1086 mg per serving)

Caviar consists of fish eggs, or roe. It is widely regarded as a highly luxurious food item, and is most often used in small quantities as a starter, taster or garnish.

Caviar is high in choline and exceptionally low in omega-6 fatty acids (17).

Omega-3 content: 1086 mg per tablespoon, or 6789 mg per 100 grams (3.5 oz).

9. Flaxseeds (2338 mg per serving)

Flaxseeds are small brown or yellow seeds. They are often ground, milled or used to make oil.

These seeds are by far the richest whole food source of the omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and flaxseed oil is often used as an omega-3 supplement.

Flaxseeds are also very high in fiber, vitamin E, magnesium and other nutrients. They have a great omega-6:omega-3 ratio compared to most oily plant seeds (18, 19, 20, 21).

You can read more about the different types of omega-3s in this article.

Omega-3 content: 2338 mg per tablespoon of seeds, 7196 mg per tablespoon of oil.

10. Chia Seeds (4915 mg per serving)

Chia seeds are incredibly nutritious.

They are rich in manganese, calcium, phosphorus and various other nutrients (22).

A standard 1-oz (28 gram) 2-tbsp. serving (24 g) of chia seeds contains 4 grams of protein, including all eight essential amino acids.

Omega-3 content: 4915 mg per ounce (28 grams).

11. Walnuts (2542 mg per serving)

Walnuts are very nutritious and loaded with fiber. They also contain high amounts of copper, manganese, vitamin E and important plant compounds (23).

However, do not remove the skin, as it contains most of the phenol antioxidants found in walnuts.

Omega-3 content: 2542 mg per ounce, which amounts to 7 about walnuts.

12. Soybeans (1241 mg per serving)

Soybeans are a good source of fiber and vegetable protein.

They also contain high amounts of other nutrients, including riboflavin, folate, vitamin K, magnesium and potassium (24).

However, soybeans are also very high in omega-6 fatty acids, so they should not be relied on as a sole omega-3 source. We need to get omega-3s and omega-6s in a certain balance.

Omega-3 content: 1241 mg in half a cup, or 1443 mg per 100 grams (3.5 oz).

13. Any Other Foods?

Keep in mind that foods 1-8 contain the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, which are found in some animal foods, seafood and algae.

Conversely, foods 9-12 contain the omega-3 fat ALA, which is inferior to the other two. You can read more about the different types of omega-3 fats in this article.

Although not as high in omega-3 as the foods listed above, there are many other foods that contain decent amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

These include pastured eggs, omega-3 enriched eggs, meats from grass-fed animals, grass-fed dairy products, hemp seeds, as well as some vegetables like spinach, Brussel’s sprouts and purslane.

As you can see, getting plenty of omega-3s from whole foods should be relatively easy.

However, if you don’t eat much of these foods and think you may be lacking in omega-3s, then check out this omega-3 supplement guide.

2016 Jul 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Effect of Oral Re-esterified Omega-3 Nutritional Supplementation on Dry Eyes.

Epitropoulos AT¹, Donnenfeld ED, Shah ZA, Holland EJ, Gross M, Faulkner WJ, Matossian C, Lane SS, Toyos M, Bucci FA Jr, Perry HD.

Author information

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To assess the effect of oral re-esterified omega-3 fatty acids on tear osmolarity, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tear break-up time (TBUT), Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), fluorescein corneal staining, Schirmer score, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) stage andomega-3 index in subjects with dry eyes and confirmed MGD.

METHODS:

This was a multicenter, prospective, interventional, placebo-controlled, double-masked study. Subjects were randomized to receive 4 softgels containing a total of 1680 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid/560 mg of docosahexaenoic acid or a control of 3136 mg of linoleic acid, daily for 12 weeks. Subjects were measured at baseline, week 6, and week 12 for tear osmolarity, TBUT, OSDI, fluorescein corneal staining, and Schirmer test with anesthesia. MMP-9 testing and omega-3 index were done at baseline and at 12 weeks.

RESULTS:

One hundred five subjects completed the study. They were randomized to omega-3 (n = 54) and control group (n = 51). Statistically significant reduction in tear osmolarity was observed in the omega-3 group versus control group at week 6 (-16.8 ± 2.6 vs. -9.0 ± 2.7 mOsm/L, P = 0.042) and week 12 (-19.4 ± 2.7 vs. -8.3 ± 2.8 mOsm/L, P = 0.004). At 12 weeks, a statistically significant increase in omega-3 index levels (P < 0.001) and TBUT (3.5 ± 0.5 s vs. 1.2 ± 0.5 s, P = 0.002) was also observed. Omega-3 group experienced a significant reduction in MMP-9 positivity versus control group (67.9% vs. 35.0%, P = 0.024) and OSDI scores decreased significantly in omega-3 (-17.0 ± 2.6) versus control group (-5.0 ± 2.7, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS:

Oral consumption of re-esterified omega-3 fatty acids is associated with statistically significant improvement in tear osmolarity,omega-3 index levels, TBUT, MMP-9, and OSDI symptom scores.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License 4.0 (CC BY-NC-ND), which permits downloading and sharing the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially.

2016 Jul 26;13(8). pii: E755.

Olives and Bone: A Green Osteoporosis Prevention Option.

Chin KY¹, Ima-Nirwana S².

Author information

Abstract

Skeletal degeneration due to aging, also known as osteoporosis, is a major health problem worldwide. Certain dietary components confer protection to our skeletal system against osteoporosis. Consumption of olives, olive oil and olive polyphenols has been shown to improve bone health. This review aims to summarize the current evidence from cellular, animal and human studies on the skeletal protective effects of olives, olive oil and olive polyphenols. Animal studies showed that supplementation of olives, olive oil or olive polyphenols could improve skeletal health assessed via bone mineral density, bone biomechanical strength and bone turnover markers in ovariectomized rats, especially those with inflammation. The beneficial effects of olive oil and olive polyphenols could be attributed to their ability to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. However, variations in the bone protective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects between studies were noted. Cellular studies demonstrated that olive polyphenols enhanced proliferation of pre-osteoblasts, differentiation of osteoblasts and decreased the formation of osteoclast-like cells. However, the exact molecular pathways for its bone health promoting effects are yet to be clearly elucidated. Human studies revealed that daily consumption of olive oil could prevent the decline in bone mineral density and improve bone turnover markers. As a conclusion, olives, olive oil and its polyphenols are potential dietary interventions to prevent osteoporosis among the elderly.

KEYWORDS:

menopause; oleuropein; olives; polyphenol; skeleton; tyrosol